


A Hunter's Guide to Monsters (Vol. 3)

by ThePsuedonym



Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, I'm Going to Hell, I'm Not Ashamed, Instruments as Weapons, Kelbi God, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Weapons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-05-05 11:51:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5374280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePsuedonym/pseuds/ThePsuedonym
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the title says.</p><p>Covers a specific set of monsters from Monster Hunter Ultimate 3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hello, Herbivores (and the Jaggi)

**Author's Note:**

> I only own my character. The other three belong to their respective creators.
> 
> All events depicted in this work have occurred in one form or another. Their depiction may not be wholly accurate, however.
> 
> This will be marked as completed until I choose to add more. At this mokent, no future chapters are planned.

**Part 1 – Hello, Herbivores (And the Jaggi)**

**Part 1.1: Kelbi**

 

_“Remember the first time you went hunting?”_

_“Shut up.”_

_“And the Kelbi?”_

_“Shut. Up.”_

…

The island, from what could be glimpsed at the hunters’ base on top of a particularly small grassy cliff, was beautiful. White stone faces gleamed in the dusky light, the far-off ocean bleeding sunlight as the shining orb was swallowed by the horizon to give way to the moon. Vegetation rustled in the cool breeze, poking out everywhere it could find room to root. And, before the trio of hunters, the daytime wildlife was beginning to bed for the night.

One of the three, wearing new, unscuffed leather armor and silly goggles that _screamed_ “New hunter!” pointed to the green-haired ungulates baying as they found a place to rest in the short grass. “What are those, again?”

“They’re called Kelbi,” one of the two answered, voice hushed despite the considerable distance between them and the unaware herbivores. Her shoulder-heavy violet-and-crimson armor made her look dangerous, the large switch axe exacerbating the easy assumption.

“And the sooner you kill one, the sooner we can finish your ‘tour’.”

“Kill being relative, of course,” the other added. Unlike the other, her black-and-gold armor made her seem more approachable. Deadly, but less likely to kill over a misunderstanding. On her back was a large bird-shaped hunting horn, clearly crafted from the remains of a different monster than the one that provided her clothing.

“I mean, you can stab it and smack it all you want, but it’ll just get dazed for a few seconds and run off.”

The shiny-new-leather hunter stared incredulously. “Are you serious, Yamaya?”

She nodded gravely, “Serious as a funeral. Go ahead. Try it.”

Hesitant, but encouraged by her elders – sort of; both were younger than she was, but had far more experience hunting, as their respective equipment showed – she approached the nearest Kelbi. It glanced at her with wet doe eyes that widened in tired alarm and shakily rose to its feet, but several swift cuts from the pair of wielded swords felled it swiftly.

Blood sluggishly leaked from the wound, but even as she watched, amazed and disgusted, as flesh slowly knitted itself together and not even a scar was left for the rapid growth of its mossy pelt. The creature levered itself back to its feet – err, _hooves_ , and bounded away from its attacker to safety. Once it was less than a silhouette in the distance, the hunter found her words.

“What. The. _Fuck_.”

Unseen, Yamaya smiled. “Y’know, I sometimes wonder if there’s some kind of Kelbi god out there, and it heals them. And if you somehow killed one of them, it’ll come down and smite you into little hunter bits.”

The sound of clacking disturbed the nearby wildlife as the shiny-new-leather hunter threw down her weapons, their weight flattening the grass beneath them.

“Nope. I’m done, no more Kelbi. Nope.”

…

**Part 1.2 : Apotanoth**

 

_“And then the Apotanoth?”_

_“If you’re not going to shut up, I’ll make you.”_

_“Alright, alright.”_

…

Several large herbivores were lazing about in the island’s southern cove, taking advantage of its numerous exits as a resting place for the night. The creatures themselves bore four stubby legs, a high, elongated spine with several club-like extensions on their tails and flat, thin horns protruding from their heads.

“And those are called Apotanoth.” The shiny-new-leather hunter raised an eyebrow at her companions; the creatures looked far from dangerous or desirable, so why did she need to know about them? Unless…

“They aren’t like the Kelbi?” she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at the dozing animals.

“Nope!” Yamaya answered brightly. Perhaps too much so, to ease the other. “Avalon, would you demonstrate?”

The purple-and-crimson hunter in question hefted her switch axe with a surprisingly un-bloodthirsty smile and a lofty, “Sure can.”

She set off at a run towards the tired Apotanoth, swinging her weapon upwards into its jaw and knocking the beast over with the excessive force. Immediately the creature began flailing its limbs and damaged head in a fruitless attempt to regain its footing while its blood streamed from its skull onto the grass. Its desperate death throes attracted the attention of its lazing brethren, who shook off their sleep and turned tail to escape to another, hopefully safer section of the island.

“What’re you waiting for?” Yamaya directed to the shiny-new-leather hunter. “Go get ‘em.”

Spurred by the command she set off, drawing her weapons and aiming for the largest Apotanoth of the group. She struck it once, a clean slice from its abdomen to the right hind leg, and drew back for another when it turned to face her fully. She hesitated – despite being a herbivore, the silly-looking creature looked far more intimidating when it was so close – and found herself flying away, fresh pain blossoming in her stomach and an angry roar chasing her away.

Both Avalon and Yamaya winced as they watched the Apotanoth mercilessly tackle the new hunter into the narrow passageway it was aiming to enter. It snorted once, satisfied, and limped away.

“Should we go after her?”

“Probably.”

…

**Part 1.3 : Jaggi**

 

_“So, then, what’s your least favorite monster?”_

_“Jaggi, hands down. Little buggers get_ everywhere _, especially when you’re trying to fight something bigger.”_

_“Or when they explode into little Jaggi bits.”_

_“…Shut up.”_

…

The shiny-new-leather hunter skidded backwards through the dirt, flipping head-over-heels once, twice before landing on her sore stomach, bruised and dirty from her impromptu flight. She groaned, shifted slightly and opted to lie in the dirt; fuck dignity. Armor or no armor, the hit _hurt_ and though she knew there was worse to come – these were the peaceful creatures! – she wanted to take a moment and savor it while her life wasn’t in danger.

Unbeknownst to her, the larger cove was also inhabited by more than the harmless birds and bugs. Several small, thin reptiles had shied away from their carrion scraps at her entrance, but were beginning to overcome their natural wariness to inspect the newcomer. Their orange scales, burnished in the dusk, were a dead giveaway as to their identity, but the hunter was too incapacitated and inexperienced to keep them away, and as such, the pack circled her, hissing and sniffing.

The leader of the pack, a slightly larger individual than the others, bared its stubby fangs and flared its imperial purple frill in a show of dominance over the stranger. The lack of challenging reaction and her potentially submissive position spurred the reptile to creep yet closer to the hunter. It ran its muzzle along the length of her arm, and, smelling the flesh beneath the hardened leather; satisfied, it cracked open its jaws to take the limb between its teeth and clamped down as hard as the muscles would allow.

Its prey yelped in pain and alarm, the cry morphing into a yell as her attacker began shaking its head to tear the chosen arm off. She scrambled to her feet, beating at the carnivore’s head with her fist as panic erased her weapons from conscious thought. The surrounding reptiles squawked in surprise and leapt back, their long legs safely putting distance between them and their leader. A punch to the eye convinced the beast to release its grip, but not before leaving the hunter’s arm a bloodied mess.

Hissing at the stinging pain, the not-so-shiny-new-leather hunter recalled her weapons and drew one of her blades, pointing it at the reptiles in warning. They cawed and hacked back at her but were lured in by the smell of blood and the hope of an easy, fresh meal; they began closing in on her again, retreating only when a sharp weapon was swung their way.

Both knew she was tiring, however, and it was only a matter of time before she dropped.

“And now there’s Jaggi,” a voice grumbled from beyond the pack.

There was the slick sound of a bladed weapon being drawn, then the heavy _thump_ of struck flesh and the screeches of injured and dying reptiles as those surrounding the not-so-shiny-new-leather hunter were literally swept away by an overly large switch axe and thrown into a rock wall. The leader, who had moved out of immediate danger, ran at the intruding hunter only to be kicked away like trash.

Avalon knelt down in front of her companion, one eyebrow raised. “You nearly got yourself killed by a Jaggi?” she muttered, disbelief coloring her tone. She lifted the injured arm and turned it, ignoring its owner’s quiet hiss to inspect the damage incurred. “Please tell me you brought potions, at least.”

She shrugged the question off with only slight irritation – she wasn’t in danger of dying, after all; it was just a simple flesh wound – and reached into her pouch, pulling out a corked clay jar. The tab was removed with little difficulty and, reluctantly, she drank the encased liquid, shuddering both at the earthy taste and the strange feeling the healing liquid left her with.

Yamaya snickered in the background, toeing a small pile of the dead animals. “Jaggi, of all things.”


	2. The Food Chain

**Part 2 – The Food Chain**

**Part 2.1 : Jaggia**

 

_“Are Jaggia worse, since they’re bigger?”_

_“I’m not talking to you.”_

…

Dawning over the island was a new day, which meant more monsters to meet and beat – or to be eaten by. The not-so-shiny-new-leather hunter had her armor repaired and her arm treated overnight, and both were as good as new, meaning she was once again the shiny-new-leather hunter.

Now the trio were moving through the island once again, stopping within one of the narrow passages leading out from the larger cove. A small hill in the ground leading to their destination left the land hidden from view, but when the once-again-shiny-new-leather hunter moved to scale the rise, Yamaya moved in the way.

“You know what you’re going to fight?” Yamaya chirped. The other stared back, hesitant; the Apotanoth had been claimed to be “harmless as a glueglopper” yet threw her straight out the clearing they had been in and into a pile of Jaggi. “Jaggia!”

“Those things?” The once-again-shiny-new-leather hunter jerked a thumb back at the decaying corpses strewn about in the cove some distance away.

“Nope, they were all guys. Jaggia are female, which means they’re bigger! And even harder to kill! Plus, they’re more irritating!”

She was rewarded with a blank stare.

“Just go cut them up a bit. And don’t get yourself killed while you’re at it,” Avalon said.

“It’s too much trouble explaining to the Guild why we let you get killed.”

“We’ll be hanging out over here if you need us. And remember, Amanda; don’t get killed.”

“You’d better not need us,” Yamaya warned, and pushed the inexperienced hunter in to the Jaggia’s nest. Turning around, she saw Avalon’s unamused stare. “What? There’s no better way to learn than by doing it yourself.”

Caught off balance, Amanda fell to her hands and knees; remembering what complacency had rewarded her with the last time, and with the smaller sex of the species to boot, she scrambled to he feet and drew her weapons. It was just in time, as well, as several Jaggia were beginning to circle her, hissing with anger. Unlike their male counterparts they did not hesitate to attack the intruder, lunging ahead to bite at an arm or shoulder before leaping away to safety.

Fighting the beasts was far more difficult than Avalon made it appear; her dual blades, by their nature, didn’t pack nearly as much punch as the heavier switch axe, which were also by comparison of a far lesser quality. It took several considerable strikes to take each of the lavender-skinned reptiles down, and their death rattles only attracted more of each gender to the site.

“This is going to take forever,” Amanda complained, thrusting her blade up into the soft flesh underneath a Jaggia’s jaw.

…

**Part 2.2 : Bnahabra**

 

_“What do you think of Bnahabra?”_

_“They’re annoying. Like you.”  
“Oh, that hurt me, right here! In the heart!”_

…

Yamaya kicked at the dirt, bored. Once the sounds of battle had started, the pair of hunters had retreated to the cove proper to avoid the fresh blood and flesh – whether Jaggia or human. Unfortunately, that had the effect of boring the aforementioned hunter.

“Loser gets to drag the body out,” she offered.

Avalon glanced at the other and crossed her arms. “You’re optimistic.”

“I think you mean realistic.”

“No, I said pessimistic.”

“Lies!” Yamaya pointed at her. “And futuristic sounds better, you know.”

“Are you saying you’re a futurist now?” Avalon instead asked, ignoring the accusation.

“Not at all. I’m saying that Amanda’s probably been mauled to death by Jaggia by now. I mean, you remember what the Jaggi did to her, right?”

“So why’d you throw her into the Teostra’s den?”

Yamaya grinned at her friend; Avalon found that it usually promised the prospect of violence. “I believe in learning on the job. Now let’s go find Amanda.”

For all of their talk of the newest hunter’s inevitable death at the claws and teeth of Jaggia – or at the unforgiving hands of inexperience – it was a surprise to find the subject of their discussion sitting in the middle of the Jaggia nest, her carving knife shakily but determinedly making its way through a Jaggia carcass; her armor was spattered with the black sheen of still-drying blood.

Amanda caught sight of the pair and smiled genially at them; if Avalon hadn’t hunted with Yamaya before, the blood and guts at the former’s feet would have brought to mind that of a serial killer dissecting their victims. Even so, Avalon still found a measure of comfort in fingering the handle of her knife.

A heavy buzzing sound reached their ears, and both of the non-bloodied hunters looked up, the third following their lead. Several large insects were descending into the nest but came to a halt when they realized they had attracted attention. When they began jerking through the air Amanda stood and drew her blades, belatedly realizing that the potential threats were too far – and too fast – for her to immediately attack.

“Those are Bnahabra,” Avalon supplied. “They usually go after fresh kills, or if there’s none nearby, you. Not too much of a threat but they can be irritating in large numbers.”

“Like Jaggi,” Yamaya added, watching the bugs with distaste.

 _And Jaggia_ , thought Amanda.

One such individual floated down to drift towards the trio. Its wings hummed passively as it approached the hunters, but a dark shadow swooped up behind it; when the shadow passed the Bnahabra was left a mess of limbs and carapace bits on the ground.

Avalon and Amanda looked to the hunter responsible for its death, the bird-shaped hunting horn come to rest on one shoulder. “I don’t like ‘em,” Yamaya muttered as she returned her weapon to its place on her back. “Let’s go get Kolunas, I think he’s finished that quest he was on.”

…

**Part 2.3 : Altaroth**

 

_“Speaking of insects, how do you feel about Altaroth?”_

_“Why?”_

_“No particular reason, actually.”_

…

Kolunas, as Amanda swiftly learned, liked a creature known as the Zinogre. What that was she wasn’t entirely certain, but he told her it was an electric wolf, and his armor supported the idea; with blue and leather hide, and thick shocks of white fur, Kolunas’ armor definitely held a lupine appearance. Yamaya whispered to her later that it was more similar to a bear, but was nonetheless a delight to fight.

Interest in his armor, however, didn’t equal interest in showing “the newbie the ropes,” as Kolunas put it. Avalon pulled him aside for several minutes and left the two in the selfsame clearing Amanda had been headbutted out of by an Apotanoth. The herbivores were still absent, but several small insects had taken their place, popping out of and crawling back into a small hole in the rock face near ground level.

Amanda watched the insects’ movements for several minutes, more so out of boredom than out of any actual interest in their habits. Bored by the other two hunters, who looked to be talking about nothing, Yamaya eventually noticed that the newest hunter’s attention had been captured by something and followed her line of sight to the row of bugs. They were currently surrounding a growth of mushrooms and doing… _something_ to it. To Amanda, it looked as though they were tearing the mushrooms apart and eating the bits, but she wasn’t certain.

“Altaroth.” Amanda jumped slightly at the noise and Yamaya chuckled. “Those’re Altaroth. They’re scores better than Bnahabra, but if you accidentally, or purposely, kill one, they’ll start swarming you. Or if a monster kills one; they seem to blame hunters regardless.”

She pointed at one individual that was returning to the nest. Unlike the others, a large crimson bulb was protruding from its retreating body. “If their abdomen is colored like that one, then they have something that can be harvested. If you’re going to go killing them, though, you’ve got to be careful ‘cause you can destroy whatever they ate if you’re not careful.”

Amanda frowned; she was still a little worn out from the Jaggia fight earlier and had no wish to be mauled again, and so soon. Thankfully for her, before she could either inadvertently anger the Altaroth, or give Yamaya the chance to do so simply to see the newer hunter be attacked for the fun of it, Avalon and Kolunas returned.

“We should try and raise your rank once we’re done showing you around,” Avalon announced. “And your equipment, too.”

Amanda nodded, “I’m going to need iron, then.”

…

**Part 2.4 : Giggi**

 

_“Wanna hear a joke?”_

_“Will you get off my back?”_

_“Probably not.”_

_“Fine. Go ahead.”_

_“So, four hunters walk into a cave outside Moga Village–”_

_“Sounds like a bar joke.”_

_“Shut up, I wasn't finished. So, four hunters walk into a cave outside Moga Village...”_

…

“Are you sure this is safe, Avalon?” Amanda’s leather armor creaked slightly as the straps rubbed together, mostly new and unscarred; the right arm bore puncture marks from an earlier fight. “It's a cave, after all; what could be of use in there?”

Avalon strode by the newer hunter, confidence radiating off her like heat. “Sure it's safe, Amanda,” she said over her shoulder, one gauntleted hand carelessly waved for emphasis. “And you need iron, right? Where else would you find it?”

“In the ground,” Amanda muttered, but diligently followed. Two more hunters flanked behind the most inexperienced member of the team, eager to get moving.

The cave was dark and wet, much like any other cave would be. Stalactites and stalagmites rose out from the rock, casting jagged shadows along the walls. Creatures hummed and squelched out of sight, raising the newest hunter's hackles. She followed the leader deeper into the darkness; someone lit a torch, illuminating the walls and projecting false beasts on the stone.

“Here.” Avalon pointed to a hunk of exposed ore, the metal rusted red with exposure. “Just pull out your pickaxe and start mining.”

“What are these things?”

All three ranked hunters turned to look at Amanda. She was crouched low to the ground, inspecting a small creature: it was gray and fleshy, rolling around with a pair of stubby arms and a featureless, toothy face.

“Giggi,” Avalon answered. “Just don't get too close to them.”

Suddenly, the creature launched itself into the air, latching its mouth upon the unwary hunter's face.

“ _Oh my god, get it off, get it off!_ ” Amanda leapt forward, falling into a roll before staggering back onto her feet and running aimlessly through the tunnel. Avalon shook her head, muttering while one of the others bent over double, laughing and pointing at the hunter-cum-Giggi magnet.

“Help her, Kolunas would you,” Avalon asked of the unindisposed hunter. “Yamaya's too busy dying over there.”

“On it.”

Amanda turned to begin another circuit through the small space, and Kolunas stealthily set one foot out in her way. In one graceful motion, the hunter flew through the air – and right into one of the walls. The Giggi popped like a ripe berry, blood and guts splattering across stone and flesh alike. Yamaya laughed harder as Amanda stood up and, much to her disgust, began wiping the scarlet mess off her face.

“What did I say?” Avalon sighed from beside the iron ore.

Amada crossed her arms, petulant, “I didn't hear you through the Giggi.”


	3. Into the Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not particularly associated with Blue October's song of the same name. As it is, however, I don't own that song either.
> 
> I'm still working on ordering chapters past this point, so updates after here may be some time.

**Part 3 – Into the Ocean**

**Part 3.1: Felyne and Melynx**

 

_“That wasn’t a very good joke.”_

_“Nonsense! I could’ve gone with the one about the Felyne and Melynx and the barrel of Felvine.”_

_“Don’t. Just… don’t.”_

…

Amanda stared at the miniscule creatures padding through the water. Standing at about a foot tall, with thick black fur covering most of their bodies and fluffy white fur everywhere else, they could easily have passed for house cats – save for their bipedal nature and the sturdy-looking clubs they carried with them.

“Those are Melynx.” Avalon crouched beside her, peeking around the rock to glimpse the animals and confirm her identification. The closest creatures were lazing about in the water with no clear purpose; were they waiting for a monster, or an unlucky hunter? “They like to steal things from you if you aren’t careful, but a few smacks’ll convince them to return your things.”

“Or Felvine,” Yamaya interjected, dropping with a splash to sit beside them. Several Melynx looked up at the sound, but returned to their previous activities. “Go ahead and get their attention, I’ll throw a few bombs so you can see.”

“Avalon?”

“What, you don’t trust me? That hurts, right here.” Yamaya patted one hand over her heart but went ignored.

“If you want.”

Yamaya stood, lifted Amanda by her elbow and together they strode out into the thieving felines’ view. As one, the cats moved to stand on all fours and hiss at the intruders, then bounded in for the attack. One of the hunters moved back a few steps and chucked a bomb at the Melynx, who were converging on the other human… and hit Amanda. The cats froze at the sight of smoke while Amanda gagged at the smell.

“You might want to run,” Yamaya warned.

She took one look at the starry-eyed Melynx and hightailed it, with both the kleptomaniac cats and the more docile Felynes, attracted by the smell, running after her.

Avalon left her hiding place to stand beside the remaining hunter and looked around.

“Where’d Kolunas go?”

…

**Part 3.2: Epioth**

 

_“How about the hunter and the Epioth?”_

_“What’s so hard to understand about ‘don’t’?”_

…

Jumping into water, as it turned out, was Amanda’s saving grace. Not because the water washed off the scent of Felvine – she wasn’t _that_ lucky – but because the felines had an aversion to water. Or maybe they couldn’t swim; she wasn’t entirely sure and certainly couldn’t bring herself to care, so long as the group on shore didn’t attack her again.

Instead she turned her attention to the water, because with the way her luck had been running the past two days, it was prudent to expect _some_ kind of monster to swim up and attack her. But nothing emerged, no fangs nor claws to rip her to bloody shreds and gnaw on her bones. There was some rippling movement below the water, several shadows that placidly paddled about without purpose, but nothing fast or vicious or deadly or even in her general direction.

Curious but relieved – Amanda may have given up on hunting entirely if she was attacked by some creature _again_ before she hunted her first large monster – she cautiously swam closer to the shadows, ducking her head underwater to get a better look at what was hiding beneath the surface.

The water itself was surprisingly clear; she could see several dozen yards away and the creatures were even closer than that. They were roughly the size of a middling Apotanoth, but with more neck and tail than outright spine to their forms. Not to mention that they were clearly adapted to aquatic life, with large clawed flippers and fins that ran down their backs and out of their tails with elegant patterns inked into the thin scales.

She couldn’t say exactly why she stopped to watch them. It may have been the fact that the felines had yet to leave the shore because the Felvine bomb hadn’t washed off; it may have been because the marine life was proving to be harmless, at least to her and quite unlike anything else she had encountered so far, with or without visual evidence and personal experience to back it up; or it may have been the relative peace she was experiencing, coupled with the creatures’ pleasant appearance, not unlike that of a koi fish.

Whatever the case, she was still treading water when the others found her, a content smile on her face as she watched the creatures swim about. She climbed back onto shore where she unobtrusively yawned and kicked back on the beach, crossing her arms and used them as a cushion for her head.

Without looking up at the others, she said, “I could use a break, guys.”

…

**Part 3.3: Sharq**

 

_“Then let’s talk about something else, Moody.”_

_“What?”_

_“Weapons, you know, those things you swing around and hit monsters with…? Like the Barbarian Blade?”_

_“What are you talking about?”_

_“…Never mind.”_

…

Yamaya scoffed. “We can take breaks when we’re dead.” She stopped to consider her words, then added, “Or knocked out. Whichever comes last.”

“Ignoring how little sense that makes,” Kolunas said before either Avalon or Amanda could ask for an explanation, “she does have a point. Surprisingly enough.” He shrugged. “We’re supposed to be helping you learn the lay of the land, so to speak, and we’re nearly finished. There’s only a small portion of the island you haven’t seen yet and it would be in your best interest to see it sooner, rather than later.”

The newest hunter sighed and levered herself to her feet, stumbling slightly as she balance temporarily escaped her. “It’s been a long day,” she explained once the ground settled underfoot. “I got chased by cats right into the water, and was nearly eaten by dinosaurs and leeches yesterday. That deserves a short break, right?”

All three grinned at her, their expressions decidedly unfriendly. Before Amanda could rethink her brilliant plan to become a hunter and escape them as stealthily as possible, Avalon curled one arm around her, effectively keeping her from running.

“Welcome to the world of a hunter, where being eaten by large, violent monsters is a near-daily occurrence. Come on, let’s go find something to be eaten by.” They set off along the beach, waves gently lapping at the sand and their boots alike.

“Have you seen Sharq yet?” Kolunas asked, moving to walk on Amanda’s other side.

She considered saying yes, then wondered if they were going to bring her to something even worse, something that _would_ eat her alive.

“No.”

“Then let’s go!”

Yamaya ran past them and dove into the water, disappearing from sight almost immediately. Both Kolunas and Avalon looked at her expectantly, so with great trepidation she jumped in after her. Once the air bubbles cleared from her sight, she glimpsed Yamaya determinedly headed for an underwater passage carved into the rock. A glance behind her showed that both the experienced hunters had wasted no time in entering the water and no chance to escape, so she allowed Avalon to direct her to the other hunter.

The passage was small, at least in comparison to those above water on the island. Breaking the surface Amanda took a deep breath and considered her surroundings. Rock stared her down on all sides, large unyielding cliffs of brown stone. One wall had a thick swath of ivy crawling from the water line up to the lip of the earth above their heads, and raising her gaze skyward, found a patch of blue peeking down at her from between the lake’s walls. As she watched, a single gray cloud crawled into the pale atmosphere; the sight was both relieving and enchanting, not unlike watching the fish earlier.

“ _Gah!_ ”

A single shout escaped the hunter before she was tugged underwater, a sharp grip piercing the flesh of her leg and forcing her beneath the surface. Using her other leg, Amanda kicked at the perpetrator and found herself rewarded with the distinctive feel of bone snapping beneath her heel. The teeth – that was what it was, had to be – twisted once before letting go, staining the water with a cloud of murky red liquid that streamed from her leg.

Carefully propelling herself away from the free-floating blood and hissing as the wounds stung with the mixing of blood and salt water, Amanda felt around her waist for her pouch. She pulled out a potion and uncorked the bottle with her teeth, spat the wood into the lake where it gently floated, and drank the healing agent.

She shuddered once – and screamed as a body suddenly appeared from beneath the water. The hunter quickly collected herself once she realized the corpse wasn’t human, but of an aquatic creature. A human head swiftly appeared next to it; Amanda held back her instinctive reaction to hit it as quickly as possible.

“Sharq attack,” Avalon observed before sinking silently below the waves, leaving Amanda to stare at the point where she disappeared with growing horror.


	4. Siren Song

**Part 4 – Siren Song**

**Part 4.1: Ludroth**

 

_“Anyone ever tell you you’re a little dense?”_

_“Sure. Then I introduced them to a pack of Ludroth.”_

_“Oh.”_

_“Yes.”_

_“The term would be congregation, actually.”_

…

Amanda stood on shore, looking out to the sea.

They were all maniacs. That was the only explanation; every hunter, every single one of them, was insane. It might have been one too many blows to the head by a furious monster; friendly fire from a not-so-friendly-friend; or even a misjudged landing. Whatever the case, Amanda was certain that every hunter was completely nuts, given time.

And she was one of them.

She shuddered, a wracking of the entire body, took a step back and made to flee. The hand on her shoulder prevented her escape, however, and with cold dread a heavy weight in her stomach she turned. Avalon stood behind her and dropped her outstretched hand, armor quietly dripping saltwater. She cocked her head slightly as though confused.

“Is there a problem?” she asked, almost innocently. Amanda felt a laugh rise in her throat and she bit it back; if it was let out, she knew she wouldn’t stop.

 _Is there a problem?_ she wanted to say. _The problem is that you’re all crazy!_ But she didn’t. She kept it to herself and shook her head, forcing a smile to placate the hunter. Avalon didn’t seem convinced but let it drop, guiding Amanda to the beach’s edge and watched her sink below the waves.

The Sharq’s corpse had floated out of the passage and into the open water; a dull smudge of red marked its path along the currents, but that was swiftly becoming diluted as the blood spread throughout the ocean. She passed underneath it, avoiding the trail of bloody mist, and came face to face with a lizard.

Well, no, that wasn’t quite right. Amanda actually recognized this creature, as they frequently stalked the village shores at dawn. The Ludroth – for that was what it was – reared back in surprise, no doubt not having expected to come face-to-face with a human, its blue eyes wide with alarm.

Without hesitation, Amanda pulled out her dual blades and stabbed the amphibian through the eye; it reared back, its cry of air bubbles rising soundlessly to the surface, thrashed and scrabbled its forelimbs at the offending object lodged within its skull, and ceased when said offending object’s twin came to rest in the Ludroth’s other socket. Smaller air bubbles rose out of its nostrils as its lungs emptied of air and was replaced with the water that was swiftly turning red with its spilled blood.

Avalon swam by without a word – she wouldn’t have been heard, anyways; they were underwater – though she patted Amanda’s shoulder as she passed. The latter nearly sighed with relief before recalling that they were _underwater_ and either inhaling or exhaling would be a terrible idea.

Amanda began to swim after the other hunter and spared one last look for the deathly-still reptile, hardly visible through the cloud that had swiftly come to surround it. She wondered if she was slowly losing her sanity just as her companions must have, once upon a time.

…

**Part 4.2: Royal Ludroth**

 

_“You don’t stop talking, do you?”_

_“Not really.”_

_“That’s unfortunate.”_

_“Why’s that?”_

_“Quiet people don’t get eaten by_ Royal _Ludroth.”_

_“That’s a myth, you know.”_

…

Avalon led her to an adjoining lake accessible only from beneath the surface of the water, barred from the sea with thick walls of grey, barren rock; conversely, the other side of the cove was framed by high cliffs whose faces were curtained with thick layers of ivy. Amanda wondered if they could support a hunter’s weight.

She wasn’t given much time to dwell on the possibility. Avalon surfaced beside her, followed her gaze and tugged her along without a word. Reluctantly the newest hunter allowed herself to be dragged along, looking longingly at the heavy vines before descending into the clear water.

Surprisingly enough, nothing attacked them (read: _her_ ) as they traversed through the area, and Amanda took the time she had to enjoy it. There were several Sharqs grouped together at one end, but they made no sudden or overt moves to attack them, so she ignored them as well. Schools of brightly colored fish swam near the bottom of the lake, darting through patches of seaweed and dimly glowing plants.

When nature wasn’t trying its hardest to rip people’s limbs off, it could be rather beautiful.

So then of course it had to be ruined; why else was anything else ever expected?

Opposite the end that the pair had entered was a second hole in the rock – underwater, naturally. It was also smooth, too much so to be natural, and rather wide; whatever creatures had created the passage had to be frighteningly large.

Beside her, Avalon waved her hand in some see-sawing gesture; maybe it was supposed to be reassuring? Or a warning that there could be a creature inhabiting whatever they were about to enter?

Given the day’s events, either were rather fair possibilities by that point. Amanda allowed the other hunter to take the lead and swam after her into the narrow corridor. At first the ascent it took was gentle, then suddenly sharpened despite the breakdown of the rock beneath them into sand.

Water gave way to air that Amanda gulped down greedily, having underestimated the length of the passageway – it was a mistake she wasn’t planning on making again. Panting heavily, she crawled up the soggy beach and wearily glanced up at the sound of her name.

Then she was run over by a giant reptile.

It seemed to come out of nowhere: one second, there was only air before her; the next, scales (and sponge?) the color of lemons and tiny, hate-filled cerulean eyes filled her vision and trampled over her.

A muffled shout of, “Catch it!” passed her ears as a thin tail whipped over her head and disappeared, followed by the sounds of the creature leaping into the water and escaping. Amanda didn’t bother to sit up; she could hear one of the hunters cursing the beast and chasing after it, almost silent in comparison to the booming gait of the reptile. Then there was the sound of a third splash, but not a forth.

Avalon appeared above her, one hand held out for assistance if she wanted it.

And she was tempted to slap it away, deny her offer and walk away from it all. It was all so clear, within her head: telling the hunter that she and her friends were clearly insane and that she wanted nothing more to do with this nonsense that was supposedly keeping non-combatants safe from attacks by dangerous creatures.

Amanda groaned and exhaled loudly. Her palm slapped loudly against the scaly gauntlet, burned slightly as the skin chafed against the rough grip that pulled her to her feet.

“I must be insane,” she grumbled, ignoring Avalon’s bright smile.

…

**Part 4.3: Qurupeco**

_“Nothing more to say?”_

_“Nope.”_

_And here I thought you talked more than a Qurupeco does.”_

_“…They don’t really talk, you know. Just—”_

_“And what is that exactly?”_

_“There aren’t any words for it.”_

…

Avalon, Amanda quickly decided, was her favorite hunter. While the other two were killing the giant reptile, the purple-clad hunter had helped her to her feet and explained just what the hell had trampled her into the dirt.

Then she led her out of the tiny cove that it had been hiding in and back to the lake where it was currently suspended, graphically dead. Beside it was their two missing hunters, looking quite proud of their accomplishment. Yamaya spotted them first and waved in greeting before surfacing. Avalon followed suit and Amanda did the same.

“It was a big one,” the musician commented once they had neared her and pointed to its severed tail. “It had to have been almost twenty meters including its tail. Packed quite the punch.” She peered at Amanda closely, then asked, “How’re you not dead?”

The woman in question recoiled at the question while Avalon sighed, “Yamaya…”

They both went ignored. “You got crushed by it, didn’t you?”

“Why didn’t you do anything then?” Amanda snapped back, sick of the other’s blasé attitude.

Yamaya shrugged. “Didn’t bring any medicine. Didn’t think we’d need it.” She eyed Amanda and added, “Looks like I was wrong.”

With some effort the swordswoman quelled her urge to throttle the more experienced hunter and instead reached into her pouch to find a potion for her injuries. Avalon, for her part, looked rather exasperated by her companion and said as much. Yanking the cork out of the jar Amanda drank the liquid inside and caught a thin smile on the irritating hunter’s face – she suddenly realized that there was more going on than was being said and felt like an outsider intruding on a very personal and very private conversation.

“Let’s get going,” Avalon sighed. “We should carve what we can from the Royal Ludroth before the Felynes take it away and then get to the wyvern nest; it’s the last place we have to show you.”

“Why not before?” Amanda asked as they swam closer to the giant carcass, grabbing onto its spongey-looking mane to keep herself from drifting away. It was surprisingly soft under her fingers and dribbled water onto her skin where she squeezed it. She grimaced as she realized the question made no sense, and corrected herself, “Why not show me earlier?”

“It’s a wyvern nest. It has wyverns there, so it’s safest to go when they’re _not_ there.”

As Avalon showed her the best way to remove part of the creature’s spongey fringe Kolunas reminded them to hurry and, when Amanda looked over, was already scaling the ivy-covered cliff. Yamaya was nowhere in sight.

Once they were finished the pair began climbing after Kolunas, who was already near the top. A thought occurred to Amanda and when she couldn’t figure out an answer, voiced her question to Avalon.

“Felynes don’t like water,” she said. Avalon grunted in answer and tested a shorter vine before pulling herself up with it. “So would they get the Royal Ludroth out of there?”

The other seemed to consider the question. “I have no idea,” she answered honestly. “All I do know is that they collect the monsters about ten minutes after they’re killed, unless it was the last one for a job.”

Amanda risked vertigo to glance down at the lake – the beast was still floating in a mess of its own blood. Just above her Avalon muttered something that sounded rather explicit, prompting the newest hunter to scramble upwards. She had just crawled over the edge of the cliff when a loud honking sound angrily ripped through the air.

The _hell_?

Standing near the cliff was a large and colorful bird with an oddly shaped beak and beady little eyes. Its throat was swollen and bright red like an overripe cherry ready to burst, and its tiny eyes glinted with malice. Standing beside it was Yamaya, her weapon drawn and at the ready. The instrument wailed mournfully as it came down on the bird’s foot; the creature screamed and spun in a circle, clipping the horn player with its tail.

Yamaya was thrown back by the attack and fell off the cliff.

Amanda gaped in surprise and moved to… to… do something. What could be done for a person who had just fallen off a cliff, she wasn’t sure, but there had to be _something_. A firm hand on her shoulder prevented her from moving and she looked to the source.

Next to her Avalon was watching the giant bird, a grimace marring her face. “Don’t take your eyes off your target,” she warned. “Yamaya’ll be fine. It’s not the first time she’s been tossed off a cliff by a monster, after all.”

Maybe that explained her personality.

“So how do we fight that thing?” Amanda muttered back. The bird had begun strutting along the cliff, looking rather pleased with its success. Now it seemed to have remembered the other hunters and breathed deeply, its throat expanding once more.

“Keep it from calling other monsters,” was the answer.

Grinning madly, Avalon reached over her shoulder and firmly grasped her switch axe. Ahead of them Kolunas rushed forward with his dual blades, electricity sparking from the uncovered blades. Breathing deeply to steady herself Amanda took hold of her own weapons and did the same, Avalon flanking her with her heavier weapon.

It never stood a chance.


End file.
